Didn't know that bit of history...thanks for sharing. I hope Brazil's government paid him reparations for being their hostage/slave. I see he's still alive. Do you know if he's ever commented on it?
You’re welcome! I don’t know if he commented on it, but he was still one of the highest-paid players so he may not have any beef financially.
One advantage to that arrangement is that it let him play with many Brazilian players, so international tournaments may have been easier as a result. When Colombian cartel leaders wanted their country to do better, they offered a lot of money so good Colombian players could remain in their domestic league (and become more familiar with each other) instead of being scattered in Europe - though it never worked out as they hoped.